The Last Multi-Tie Teams in NFL History- Cleveland Browns v. Kansas City Chiefs 12/2/1973

Photo Credit: Getty Images

By Zane Miller

Starting with the 2025 season, the National Football League made a significant change to their overtime rules in regular season games, dictating that both teams must have at least one possession during the OT period (with the exception of one team having a drive lasting the entire overtime). While this was a rule change that many fans had been clamoring for in the years leading up to the eventual switch, it comes with the consequence of additional games ending in ties.

Since the league did not adjust the 10-minute overtime length to account for the extra mandatory possession, the likelihood of OT games ending in a deadlock has taken a notable increase. Therefore, I might be running out of time to cover the last time an NFL team posted more than one tie in a single season, which occurred just over 52 years ago. By coincidence, this involved both participating teams posting their second tie simultaneously.

On December 2^nd, 1973, the Cleveland Browns headed to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs as the end of the regular season drew near. The Browns came in with a strong 7-3-1 record, tying against the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers on October 28^th. However, the Chiefs were a formidable opponent, holding a 6-4-1 record with a draw against the Green Bay Packers on October 14^th.

Starting under center for the Browns would be quarterback Mike Phipps, who was in the midst of his second full season at the NFL level. The year before, Phipps took the reins from the soon-to-be retired Bill Nelsen and led Cleveland to a playoff appearance at 10-4 on the year, with 1973 shaping up to be more of the same. For Kansas City, they would bring out their veteran backup Mike Livingston, who had assumed the starting role after their future Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson went down with a season-ending foot injury.

At this point in the 1973 season, there had been five tie games played already, with overtime having not yet been established for regular season games. All contests would end after 60 minutes, no ifs, ands or buts, and obviously this led to a large number of ties over the first 50+ years of the league’s existence. In fact, both the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos had already reached the two-tie mark, doing so on October 14^th and November 4th respectively. Regardless, on an unseasonably warm (yet still windy) December afternoon in Kansas City, there was about to be another one.

After the Browns were forced to punt away the opening possession, the Chiefs were able to set up for a 45-yard field goal attempt, but it went wide right of the mark. This set the tone for much of the first half, with both teams unable to take advantage of scoring opportunities. Kansas City quickly got the ball back, but lost a fumble on their first play when running back Ed Podolak was clobbered by veteran defensive lineman Walter Johnson. However, the Chiefs defense made a play of their own, as linebacker Jim Lynch took the ball away on a sack-fumble of Phipps with Cleveland already in the red zone. This set up a lengthy scoring drive, with the Chiefs’ other running back Willie Ellison getting his team into the red zone on a 19-yard gain. A few plays later, Livingston broke through with an 11-yard touchdown pass to wideout Elmo Wright, making it a 7-0 game shortly before the end of the first quarter.

The teams traded punts to begin the second quarter, but the Browns were able to get something going after a 15-yard completion from Phipps to former Chief Frank Pitts. While the drive stalled from there, kicker Don Rockroft was still able to put through a 44-yard field goal to cut the lead to 7-3. On the ensuing drive, the Browns appeared to have forced another fumble, but the Chiefs were saved by an offsides penalty. This brought on future Hall of Famer Jan Stenerud for a long field goal try, but it was blocked by Jerry Sherk to set Cleveland up with a short field. While the Browns again were able to get into the red zone, they were thwarted by cornerback Nate Allen, who forced a fumble from fullback Ken Brown with less than a minute to go in the half. The Chiefs tried a field goal with Stenerud, but he had his third miss of the game from 47 yards out to bring the half to an end.

With the Chiefs still holding a slim advantage to start the second half, they would get some breathing room on their first possession. After the Browns squandered their opening drive on yet another fumble (yes, the Browns received both the first and second half kickoffs), this time forced by defensive end and former Brown Marvin Upshaw, Stenerud knocked through a short field goal to put the team ahead 10-3. A couple punts later, the Chiefs had the chance to build their lead further, sitting at fourth-and-one at the Cleveland 19-yard line. Instead of trying another short field goal, coach Hank Stram opted to go for it with a quarterback sneak. It’s important to mention that Livingston had been injured just a couple of plays earlier, forcing backup QB Pete Beathard into the game. While Beathard was a capable enough backup, he was in what would be his final year in the NFL and had not taken a snap in over a month. With that, the Browns were ready for the sneak, with Beathard being devoured by the defensive line for no gain.

The Browns quickly gave the ball back on a three-and-out, but received a lifeline as a botched handoff was jumped on by linebacker Bob Babich in Chiefs territory. Despite a 20-yard defensive pass interference penalty, the Browns were unable to find the end zone, settling for a 28-yard field goal to make it a 10-6 contest going into the fourth quarter.

Once the final frame got underway, the Chiefs were finally able to get their offense in motion with Beathard under center. He hit longtime wide receiver Otis Taylor for a 26-yard completion, before Ellison ran for a pair of nine-yard gains to put Kansas City at the doorstep of a two-possession lead. However, the Browns defense pulled together for a goal line stand, forcing the Chiefs to settle for another short field goal.

Once again, the Browns offense could do nothing with their next possession, compelled to punt after a three-and-out. On the return, however, Podolak made up for his early fumble with a 48-yard runback, putting the Chiefs into the red zone right off the bat. The defense couldn’t bail out the Browns this time, as Podolak eventually punched it in himself on a two-yard TD run. With the Chiefs ahead 20-6 as six minutes remained in the game, Browns rookie running back Greg Pruitt sensed it was time to put the team on his back.

After being taken early in the second round of the 1973 draft out of Oklahoma, Pruitt had yet to make much of an impact in Cleveland. Coming into December, he had been used sparingly out of the backfield with Brown and veteran running back Leroy Kelly (in the final season of a Hall of Fame career) taking most of the handoffs. However, Pruitt still showed flashes in the few games he did receive significant playing time, such as getting 66 yards and a touchdown on November 11^th against the Houston Oilers (now Tennessee Titans). Pruitt would nearly match that total on just one play. Running a handoff down the right sideline, he outpaced multiple chasing defenders for a critical 65-yard score to flip the momentum in Cleveland’s favor for the first time all afternoon. The extra point went through without issue, trimming the deficit to one possession.

While the touchdown was surely a kick in the teeth for Kansas City, all they needed was another strong and ideally time-consuming drive from their offense, and they were still in good shape. Of course, the re-energized Browns defense had other ideas, holding them to a three-and-out as Cleveland grabbed the ball back with over four minutes remaining. They wouldn’t even need half of that, with Phipps finding trusty tight end Milt Morin from midfield. Morin collected the pass at the 25-yard line, but found himself swarmed by the hard-hitting combo of linebacker Willie Lanier and safety Mike Sensibaugh. However, Morin somehow slipped through both defenders and ran by a desperation jersey grab for the team’s second touchdown with less than three minutes to play. The all-important extra point was in fact good, as the Browns clawed back to an even 20-20 score.

Of course, with time still remaining, both teams were keen not to tie and instead win it for themselves. The Chiefs’ ensuing drive went nowhere, giving Cleveland the chance to fully complete the comeback with roughly a minute and a half left on the table. However, despite the offense being red hot right before, the Browns also couldn’t do anything of note, punting it away for a ninth time. With 35 seconds left, Beathard tried a few desperation passes to get into field goal range, but this too came up short as the Browns and Chiefs settled for the 20-20 tie.

Despite the draw putting the Browns at 7-3-2, they would be eliminated from the playoffs with a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals the next week, eventually wrapping up the season at 7-5-2. Coincidentally, the Chiefs would also end the year at 7-5-2 as Livingston’s injury did not prevent him from returning, but they too missed the postseason. For 1974, the league adopted overtime play for regular season play, though unlike the playoffs this was limited to a 15-minute quarter (later shortened to 10 minutes in 2017). Since this rule change, no team has tied more than once in a season, though the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams and San Francisco 49ers came dangerously close to doing so in 2012. After tying in their first meeting, the return matchup also went deep into overtime. With just 30 seconds on the clock in OT, the Rams sent out rookie kicker Greg Zuerlein for a 54-yard field goal attempt. A miss would almost guarantee the game ending in a tie, but Zuerlein was able to get the kick through the left upright for the Rams’ victory. The 1973 Browns-Chiefs matchup remains as the last bastion of the pre-overtime era, but only time will tell how long it stays as the last time any team collected multiple ties in the same season.

2025 NASCAR Cup Series Season Recap

Photo Credit: Jayski

By Zane Miller

On Sunday, November 2^nd, 2025, the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series concluded with Kyle Larson defeating Denny Hamlin by three points to win the 77^th championship in Cup Series history. It was the second championship for Larson, as William Byron took the regular season championship.

The 2025 Daytona 500 was also won by Byron, while Austin Cindric led the most laps in the event with 59.

2025 playoff results

Out in Round 1

#48 Alex Bowman

#3 Austin Dillon

#88 Shane van Gisbergen

#21 Josh Berry

Out in Round 2

#45 Tyler Reddick

#23 Bubba Wallace

#1 Ross Chastain

#2 Austin Cindric

Out in Round 3

#20 Christopher Bell

#12 Ryan Blaney

#22 Joey Logano

#9 Chase Elliott

Championship Four

4. #24 William Byron (-30, Finished 33^rd in final race)

Byron was credited with fourth in the final standings after claiming three victories, 11 top-fives and 16 top-10s for an average finish of 14.5 while leading the most laps in five races.

3. #19 Chase Briscoe (-15, Finished 18^th in final race)

Briscoe scored third in the final standings on the strength of three wins, 15 top-fives and 19 top-10s to take an average finish of 12.7 after leading the most laps in a pair of events.

2. #11 Denny Hamlin (-3, Finished 6^th in final race)

Hamlin grabbed second in the final standings with a series-leading six wins, as well as 14 top-fives and 18 top-10s for an average finish of an even 14.0. Hamlin also led the most laps in four races over the course of the year.

1. #5 Kyle Larson (Finished 3^rd in final race)

Larson captured his second career title with three victories, 15 top-fives and 22 top-10s to get an average finish of 13.2, leading the most laps in five races along the way.

Race Winners (left) & Lap Leaders (right)

Top 5 Players of the 2025 World Series

Photo Credit: MLB

By Zane Miller

On Saturday, November 1st, 2025, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre in Toronto to win the 121^st World Series four games to three. It was the ninth championship for the Dodgers franchise, and the second that was won in Ontario. These are the top five players that I felt most stood out during the series.

5. #13 Max Muncy (Dodgers)- 3B

Muncy collected player of the game honors for the Dodgers in game seven, as he added three hits with a walk and an RBI as Los Angeles scored the series-winning 5-4 victory in 11 innings.

4. #16 Will Smith (Dodgers)- C

Smith was game two’s player of the game, as he nabbed three RBIs on two hits, including a seventh-inning home run in the Dodgers’ 5-1 triumph. In game seven, he would also nab the eventual series-winning home run in the top of the 11^th inning.

3. #18 Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers)- P

Yamamoto took player of the game honors in game six, going six innings while allowing just one earned run on five hits and a walk as Los Angeles went on to win 3-1 and keep the series alive. This came on the heels of Yamamoto’s performance in game two, where he pitched a complete game while also allowing a single run.

2. #17 Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)- DH

Ohtani, who also pitched admirably in game four, did the most damage as a designated hitter in game three. After swatting two home runs, he was walked an almost unbelievable five times as the game went deep into extra innings. The Dodgers ultimately came out on top 6-5 after 18 frantic innings, with Ohtani being credited with three RBIs and four hits to go along with the aforementioned five free passes.

1. #27 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays)- 1B

Guerrero Jr. earned the player of the game nod in games four and five, with Toronto winning game four 6-2 on the strength of his two RBIs and two hits, with a walk added in for good measure. In game five, Guerrero worked a pair of walks while contributing a hit and an RBI in the Blue Jays’ crucial 6-1 victory.

Players of the Game Breakdown:

How Elite Were They? #56- Jay Schroeder’s 12-win 1990 Season

Photo Credit: NFL Pro Set

By Zane Miller

Where we last left off in the career of veteran NFL quarterback Jay Schroeder, he had just finished up a spectacular 1986 season which saw him lead the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders) to a 12-4 record while also finishing top-five in both passing touchdowns and passing yards. He also captained a promising playoff run which saw them get oh so close to another Super Bowl appearance, but were halted in the NFC Championship Game by the eventual champion New York Giants.

Schroeder looked to build off of that success in 1987, but before he was even able to complete a pass in the season opener, he was sidelined for several weeks with a shoulder injury. In his absence, many of the league’s regular players went on strike, and the Redskins were no exception to this. Emergency quarterback signee Ed Rubbert held down the fort admirably in the strike-impacted games, as Washington joined the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers as the only teams to go undefeated in the three contests. Schroeder returned at the strike’s conclusion and played well as the Redskins made the playoffs handily. However, he reaggravated the shoulder injury near the end of the regular season, leading Washington to go with backup Doug Williams during the playoffs. Schroeder attempted just one pass during the postseason run, but the Redskins went on to win the Super Bowl anyway, in turn officially giving him a Super Bowl ring.

With the Redskins opting to go with Williams as the starter in 1988, Schroeder requested a trade, which was fulfilled by the Los Angeles (now Las Vegas) Raiders just hours before Washington’s first game of the regular season. The Raiders gave up young starting left tackle Jim Lachey in the deal, along with a fourth and fifth round pick in the 1989 draft. The trade proved to be a fruitful one for the Redskins, as Lachey became a staple of the team’s famous “Hogs” offensive line, earning three first-team All-Pro nods and likely would be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame if not for a career-ending shoulder injury in 1995. For Schroeder, though, it was far from an immediate success in LA.

With the trade happening so late in the going and obviously being unfamiliar with the Raiders’ playbook, Schroeder did not start until week four and was benched a few weeks late due to poor play. While he got his starting job back before the end of the season, the Raiders still missed the playoffs at 7-9. The team had another slow start in 1989, leading to the firing of head coach Mike Shanahan, but Schroeder’s stats only got worse in the following weeks before his year was effectively over with a torn rotator cuff in week 10. The Raiders somehow managed to avoid getting a losing record at 8-8, but their best season with Schroeder under center was was just around the corner as the calendar flipped to a new decade.

Los Angeles got off to a hot start with four straight wins to begin the 1990 season, but their bid at an undefeated campaign was ended a week later by the Buffalo Bills, who took a 38-24 win. Nonetheless, Schroeder responded with his best showing of the season to that point on October 14^th against the then-division rival Seattle Seahawks. In a game where the Raiders led 21-0 at one point before the Seahawks came storming back, Schroeder threw for three touchdowns and 235 yards, staving off the comeback to win 24-17.

Schroeder added another touchdown pass along with 176 passing yards against the Chargers in a 24-9 victory, but both he and the team would hit a rough patch in the weeks that followed. Despite starting each game, Schroeder failed to throw a single touchdown pass for the next five games, which included the entire month of November. This was also reflected in the win column as the Silver-and-Black lost three of their four November matchups, with the team squeaking by against the Miami Dolphins 13-10 on Monday Night Football. Schroeder touchdown drought continued into December, but the Raiders were able to capture the victory 23-20 on the road versus the Denver Broncos. Keen to bring all the negative talk to an end, Schroeder put up a multi-touchdown performance on December 10^th. Facing the Detroit Lions in the Pontiac Silverdome for another Monday night matchup, Schroeder rose to the occasion with three touchdowns and 195 passing yards, though this also came along with a pair of interceptions. The game quickly became a furious back-and-forth affair, with Raiders running back Bo Jackson and Lions RB Barry Sanders each rushing for over 100 yards, but Los Angeles ultimately came out on top with the 38-31 win.

The positive momentum traveled with the Raiders back to the LA Memorial Coliseum, where they hosted the Cincinnati Bengals on December 16^th. While the Bengals were the first team to get on the board, scoring a TD on their opening possession, they would be shut out the rest of the way as the Raiders kept rolling by a score of 24-7. Schroeder claimed three touchdown passes on the afternoon, two of which going to future Hall of Fame receiver Tim Brown, to go along with 163 yards. However, this would pale in comparison to Schroeder’s performance the following week on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, which would turn out to be arguably the best regular season showing of his NFL career.

On the penultimate contest of the regular season on December 22^nd, Schroeder connected for four TDs and 234 yards through the air, with former Chicago Bear Willie Gault collecting 117 receiving yards. The Vikings were able to stage a late comeback attempt, but most in attendance at the Metrodome left disappointed as the Raiders claimed the 28-24 triumph. Schroeder’s four touchdowns proved to be his single-game career high, with the fact that he didn’t throw any interceptions or take a single sack adding to the impressiveness of the feat.

Schroeder and company closed out the regular season with a 17-12 win over the Chargers, allowing Los Angeles to grab a 12-4 record and hold off the Kansas City Chiefs for the AFC West crown by a single game. Schroeder was the starter for all 16 of the Raiders’ games, finishing 10^th in the league that season in touchdown passes with 19, with his 2,849 passing yards placing him 12^th overall. With the Raiders clinching home field advantage and a first-round bye to start the playoffs, they had ample time to prepare for their eventual divisional round opponent in the Bengals.

While the Raiders were able to take the win relatively comfortably against Cincinnati in the regular season, the postseason grudge match on January 13^th, 1991 would be a grinding defense-based struggle through the first three quarters. The Raiders were able to scratch out a 7-3 halftime lead before taking the only points of the third quarter on a 49-yard Jeff Jaeger field goal, but the Bengals evened it up at 10-10 early in the fourth as quarterback Boomer Esiason found veteran running back Stanford Jennings for an eight-yard score. The excitement for the Bengals evaporated shortly after, however, as Schroeder found tight end Ethan Horton for a 41-yard touchdown strike on the ensuing possession. The Bengals were unable to keep up, being forced to punt their next time with the ball.

Despite there being more than five minutes left in regulation, the Cincinnati defense could not stop Raiders star running back Marcus Allen, who picked up a total of 52 yards and two first downs during what would be the game-sealing drive. Los Angeles tacked on another field goal with less than 30 seconds left, as they moved on to the AFC Championship Game with a 20-10 victory. Schroeder added two touchdown passes for 172 yards and an interception, while Esiason had 104 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. The loss set into motion a 31-year playoff victory drought for the Bengals franchise, though this was snapped in the 2021 playoffs, appropriately enough against the Raiders. In the meantime, however, the Raiders were focused on taking down the AFC East-winning Bills for their first Super Bowl appearance in seven years. Almost immediately, it became clear this wouldn’t go according to plan.

While the Bills quickly jumped out to a 14-3 advantage less than halfway through the first quarter, the ultimate turning point came in the form of a 27-yard interception return touchdown by Bills linebacker Darryl Talley, ending the frame with an 18-point lead for the home team. The rout was on from there as Schroder was wildly ineffective against the dominant Buffalo defense, throwing five interceptions before being pulled in favor of veteran backup Vince Evans. The Bills amassed a 41-3 halftime lead, before completing one of the biggest blowouts in NFL postseason history by a 51-3 final. Despite the Bills barely throwing the ball after the first half, quarterback Jim Kelly still went for 300 passing yards and two touchdowns, with Schroeder being credited with no touchdowns and 150 yards along with the aforementioned five interceptions.

While the Raiders were able to make their way into the playoffs again with Schroeder at the helm in 1991, they took a noticeable step back from their outstanding 1990 campaign. Schroeder posted four less touchdowns and almost 300 fewer passing yards while his total interceptions skyrocketed from nine to 16. The team captured a 9-7 record, but would lose in the first round versus the Chiefs. An uninspiring start to the 1992 season saw Schroeder lose his starting job to 1991 first-rounder Todd Marinovich, though Schroeder reassumed the role for much of the second half of the season after Marinovich struggled in late October and early November. Despite all the turmoil, the Raiders managed a respectable 7-9 finish, but ultimately decided to move on from Schroeder at season’s end. He interestingly found himself on the Bengals in 1993 as backup to David Klingler, the first quarterback taken off the board in the 1992 draft. Schroeder saw some action midway through the season as Klingler recovered from a back injury, but took the loss in all three starts.

Schroeder received a final shot at a career revival in 1994, joining the newly-renamed Arizona Cardinals as a backup to Steve Beuerlein, who had previously served as Schroeder’s backup with the Raiders in 1988 and 1989. When Beuerlein went down with a knee injury, however, Schroeder had the reins for the final month-and-a-half of the season. While not necessarily posting eye-popping stats, Schroeder held down the fort well enough for the Cardinals to win four of their next five games after Beuerlein’s injury. The team entered the final week of the regular season in contention for a playoff spot, and Schroeder did his part by passing for 317 yards with no interceptions. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they fell to the Atlanta Falcons 10-6, officially bringing their season to an end. This would also be the end for Schroeder’s NFL career, as he went unsigned through 1995 and retired soon after with 61 career wins and a ring from Super Bowl XXII.

Despite hanging up his cleats, Schroeder remained involved in football as a coach in the high school ranks. Serving as offensive coordinator for the Christian High School Patriots in El Cajon, California, he helped lead the team to a division championship in 2002. He later made his return to Los Angeles, this time as head coach of the Village Christian Crusaders from 2011 to 2013.

How Elite Were They? #55- Jake Delhomme’s 12-win 2008 Season

Photo Credit: NFL

By Zane Miller

After going undrafted out of Louisiana-Lafayette (now simply Louisiana) in the 1997 NFL Draft, Jake Delhomme’s prospects of becoming a starting quarterback at the NFL level appeared far-fetched, especially with the Ragin’ Cajuns posting average records with Delhomme leading the team for his final two seasons. However, the 1997 offseason also coincided with the New Orleans Saints cleaning house after a disastrous 4-12 record the previous year. This included the quarterback room, as starter Jim Everett was released in favor of former top-five draft pick Heath Shuler, who was looking to resurrect his career after failing to latch on with the Washington Redskins (now Washington Commanders).

Now needing an extra quarterback to add to the roster, the Saints picked up Delhomme with Lafayette only being a couple hours west of the Big Easy. The Saints had no intention of starting Delhomme in what was technically his rookie season, only suiting up in preseason games while spending the regular season on the practice squad. However, it might have been worth giving him a shot in 1997, as New Orleans’ new quarterback plan did not whatsoever. Shuler threw for just two touchdowns in his nine starts before going down with a season-ending injury, and none of the three backup quarterbacks that were trotted out in the second half of the year could right the ship. The Saints finished with the worst offense in the NFL, but somehow salvaged a 6-10 record.

The spring of 1998 would be an interesting time for Delhomme, as he would not be a part of the Saints roster, though the team would still retain his rights during the NFL season proper. Instead, he was sent over to NFL Europe in the league’s first season under that moniker, going by the “World League of American Football” previously. Even overseas, Delhomme was unable to break into the starting lineup right away, as he was the backup to future Hall of Famer Kurt Warner with the Amsterdam Admirals. Warner, of course, would have his big break the next season, but led the best offense in NFL Europe that season in the meantime while Delhomme made limited relief appearances. Despite the Dutch team taking a three-way tie for the best record in the league at 7-3, they would be the odd team out of the World Bowl, losing the tiebreaker to the Frankfurt Galaxy and Rhein Fire.

Speaking of the Galaxy, this was the team Delhomme found himself on in spring 1999 after another year on the New Orleans practice squad (the Saints finished at 6-10 for the second straight season). He would split playing time with 1997 fourth-round draft pick Pat Barnes, as Frankfurt eventually snuck into the championship game with a 6-4 record, beating out the Fire in a tiebreaker for the final spot. They would face the 7-3 Barcelona Dragons in World Bowl ’99 (held in Dusseldorf). Like they had done all season, Delhomme and Barnes alternated snaps throughout the game, which ultimately proved too much for the Barcelona defense to handle. Galaxy wide receiver Andy McCullough was dominant in the tandem situation with 151 yards and three touchdown grabs, as Frankfurt captured the 38-24 win for the second title in franchise history.

With an NFL Europe championship now under his belt, Delhomme placed himself in the running for a final roster spot with the Saints as the start of the 1999 NFL season rolled around. This particular season was already shrouded in controversy for the Saints, as they traded all six of their 1999 draft picks, along with their first and third round picks in 2000, to the Redskins in order to move up and select Heisman Trophy-winning running back Ricky Williams. The dark cloud over the team only grew larger once the season actually began, as the Saints had the third-worst offense in the league by season’s end. The anemic passing offense saw Billy Joe Tolliver and Billy Joe Hobert score just one win each while combining for less than one touchdown per game. With two games left in the Saints’ season and both Billy Joes dealing with injuries, the team finally turned to Delhomme for his official NFL debut against the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Eve. The Louisiana native did not disappoint, throwing for two touchdowns and 278 yards as New Orleans scored a significant upset win over the playoff-bound Cowboys 31-24.

Delhomme struggled in the season finale against the Carolina Panthers, culminating in a dreadful 3-13 finish for New Orleans. This prompted another massive internal shakeup for the team, as the head coach, offensive coordinator and defensive coordinator were all let go going into 2000. Additionally, neither Tolliver nor Hobert played in the NFL again after the 1999 season, but instead of giving Delhomme the reins, the Saints signed veteran free agent Jeff Blake to fill the starting role. Delhomme would not take a single regular season snap in 2000, thanks to former fourth-rounder Aaron Brooks taking over the backup spot and eventually the starting job after Blake went down with a season-ending broken foot late in November. Brooks maintained a winning record the rest of the way, completing a massive turnaround for the Saints as they made the playoffs with a 10-6 record. While New Orleans was eventually knocked out in the second round, there was no question who the starter would be in 2001.

For the second year in a row, and the fourth year total while under contract with New Orleans, Delhomme did not see the field at all during the regular season (don’t worry, I’m getting to the 12-win season part). After the Saints concluded their 7-9 season, Delhomme had a minor victory regarding the depth chart as Blake vacated the backup role to join the Baltimore Ravens for the 2002 campaign. This meant Delhomme was the next man up behind Brooks, though Brooks was still playing as good as ever in 2002. This only created a few cracks here and there for Delhomme to get into the game, but was still his first on-field action of the new millennium. The team managed a winning record at 9-7, but a late-season collapse dashed their hopes of reaching the playoffs.

The next season would be the biggest turning point of Delhomme’s NFL career, as his sporadic time with New Orleans was up. With the Saints declining to renew his contract for 2003, he headed over to their NFC South rival in the Panthers. There he was expected to be the backup for the aging Rodney Peete, though this arrangement didn’t even last through the season opener.

After Peete mustered just 19 passing yards in the first half against the expansion twin Jacksonville Jaguars, Delhomme came in off the bench in an effort to erase a 17-0 deficit. With his first real opportunity to take control of a game in almost four years, Delhomme went on the attack, throwing three touchdowns and 122 yards, including the eventual game-winning score as Carolina won it 24-23. With that, he was finally named a full-time starter at the NFL level.

The quarterback switch seemed to breathe new life into the Panthers squad, which was just two years removed from a dead-last 1-15 record. Delhomme, aided by a fantastic season from running back Stephen Davis, led the way to an 11-5 record and a surprisingly strong playoff run. After holding off the St. Louis (now Los Angeles) Rams in a rare double overtime victory, the Panthers knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game to reach Super Bowl XXXVIII against the New England Patriots. Despite Delhomme getting the game-tying touchdown to wide receiver Ricky Proehl with just over a minute left, this was more than enough time for quarterback Tom Brady to set up Adam Vinatieri for the game-winning field goal.

After finally getting a full season of experience, Delhomme posted what would be his best statistical season in 2004, claiming 29 touchdown passes and 3,886 yards (wide receiver Muhsin Muhammad led the league in touchdown catches and receiving yards), though this wouldn’t be reflected in the Panthers’ record as they missed the playoffs at 7-9 thanks to an incredibly slow start. Carolina was able to bounce back in 2005, going 11-5 with both the offense and defense ranked inside the top-10. Another Super Bowl appearance was in reach for Delhomme and the Panthers, as they made it to the NFC Championship Game for the third time in 10 years, but the Seattle Seahawks were having none of it with a definitive 34-14 takedown.

After a mediocre 2006 campaign saw the Panthers end up at .500, Delhomme was met with adversity once again in 2007. A season-ending elbow injury just three games into the year forced Carolina to trot out a revolving door of backup quarterbacks, though amazingly enough the team only finished the year one game short of a winning record. This set the stage for Delhomme to make his grand return to the field in 2008, and the Panthers, in turn, would make their return to the top of the NFC South.

Going across the country to face the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers to open up the 2008 season, Delhomme got off to a good start with a touchdown and 247 yards through the air, with that touchdown being a walk-off 14-yard strike to tight end Dante Rosario to give the Panthers the 26-24 win. Delhomme had his finest game of the season overall soon after in a division rivalry game at home against the Atlanta Falcons on September 28^th. There he threw for 294 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 56-yard touchdown to the legendary Steve Smith, as the Panthers took care of Atlanta 24-9.

Panthers fans wouldn’t have to wait long for another spectacular performance by Delhomme, as the team remained in Charlotte to kick off the month of October against the Kansas City Chiefs. Carolina dominated from the jump with a 21-0 halftime lead, eventually finishing it off at 34-0, which would be the largest margin of victory in a shutout that season. Delhomme didn’t need to pass the ball much with the Panthers being firmly in command, but still amassed two touchdowns and 236 passing yards on the afternoon. To close out spooky month three weeks later, Delhomme had another multi-touchdown showing at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Despite the Cards taking a 17-3 lead early in the third quarter, he responded with two touchdown passes to Smith, including a 65-yarder at the end of the penultimate frame to give the Panthers their first lead of the contest. Carolina held on for the 27-23 triumph, as Delhomme contributed 248 passing yards to go along with the aforementioned TDs. He would set his season-high in passing yardage on November 23^rd in their road matchup against the Falcons, getting a touchdown pass and 295 yards with 168 of them going to Smith. Nonetheless, the Panthers were not as fortunate as their earlier game, with the Falcons taking care of business 45-28.

This loss dropped them to 8-3 on the year, but would make up for it with three straight victories going into mid-December. After being handed an overtime loss in a nailbiter against the New York Giants, Delhomme and company finished out the regular season strong against his original team in the New Orleans Saints. The Panthers claimed a 30-10 lead through three quarters, but the Saints mounted an impressive fourth-quarter comeback attempt off the arm of quarterback Drew Brees, who captured his first 5,000-yard season in the process. With this, New Orleans took a one-point advantage with just over three minutes left, but a 39-yard pass from Delhomme to Smith set up the game-winning John Kasay field goal. The 33-31 victory allowed Carolina to stave off the Falcons for the NFC South title, going 12-4 with Delhomme at the helm for every offensive snap. Keeping in mind that this performance was coming off of a major elbow injury the year prior, he came in second in Comeback Player of the Year voting. The award went to Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington, who became the only player at the time to earn CPotY twice in his career.

While Smith nabbed a second-team All-Pro nomination, Delhomme himself was overshadowed as he finished outside the top-10 in both passing touchdowns and passing yards. His 15 TD passes put him in a three-way tie for 17^th with the Jaguars’ David Garrard and Matt Schaub of the Houston Texans, while his 3,288 passing yards placed him 15^th, 13 yards behind Ben Roethlisberger, who would go on to win that season’s Super Bowl for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Delhomme was also significantly assisted by the Panthers’ excellent running game, with rookie running back DeAngelo Williams leading the league in touchdown rushes with 18. In spite of that, the offense which had been in control for much of the regular season would crumble in the playoff rematch against the Cardinals.

With their 12-win season, the Panthers were able to secure home field advantage and a first-round bye, with their second-round opponent eventually manifesting as the team they had beaten in late October. However, January 10^th, 2009, would be a completely different story, as Arizona was able to jump out to a 27-7 halftime lead thanks to a masterclass from wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who would end the night with 166 receiving yards. Carolina never made any serious comeback attempt, and were unceremoniously tossed from the playoffs with the 33-13 loss. Delhomme had an ugly evening with five interceptions against a touchdown pass and 205 passing yards, while his old friend in Warner collected two touchdowns and 220 yards with one interception. Unfortunately, this would also spell the beginning of the end for Delhomme’s tenure as Panthers quarterback.

While he would show some flashes of brilliance in 2009, Delhomme largely struggled in the final chapter of the 2000’s with eight touchdown passes and 18 interceptions through the first 11 games. His season came to an end in late November after sustaining a broken finger, though the Panthers were able to rally back and salvage an 8-8 record. Delhomme was released during the offseason, but was able to land the starting job for the Cleveland Browns to open up the 2010 season. What at first seemed to be an opportunity for a late-career resurgence instead became another footnote in the lengthy history of quarterbacks who did not pan out in Cleveland. Delhomme was sidelined with an ankle injury after the season opener, not seeing the field as a starter again until late November, which just so happened to be against the Panthers. In that matchup, Delhomme threw for 245 yards, albeit with no touchdowns and a pair of interceptions, but still did well enough to grab a 24-23 win and send Carolina to an abysmal 1-10 record.

Delhomme’s final career win came a week later against the Dolphins, as he threw for a touchdown and 217 yards as Cleveland took it 13-10. After going unsigned for much of the 2011 season, the 36-year-old quarterback eventually found himself on the Houston Texans with a handful of games remaining in the regular season. As a backup to rookie TJ Yates, Delhomme was nonetheless a part of history as the Texans made the playoffs for the first time in the franchise’s existence. He did not appear in either of the team’s playoff games before their elimination at the hands of the Ravens, and announced his retirement shortly after, finishing his unconventional career with 56 career wins to go along with his 1999 NFL Europe title.

Delhomme took a bit of a break from the football world after retirement, but eventually jumped into broadcasting as he was named a color commentator for Carolina Panthers’ radio coverage in 2019, a position he remains in to this day in addition to providing TV commentary for Panthers preseason games. Also in 2019, Delhomme was inducted as a member of the Carolina Panthers Hall of Honor.

Who I Want to Win in the 2025 MLB Playoffs

 

Photo Credit: USA Today

By Zane Miller

American League Wild Card

#6 Detroit v. #3 Cleveland- Cleveland

#5 Boston v. #4 New York- Boston

National League Wild Card

#6 Cincinnati v. #3 Los Angeles- Cincinnati

#5 San Diego v. #4 Chicago- San Diego

American League Division Series

#3 Cleveland v. #2 Seattle- Cleveland

#5 Boston v. #1 Toronto- Boston

National League Division Series

#6 Cincinnati v. #2 Philadelphia- Cincinnati

#5 San Diego v. #1 Milwaukee- San Diego

American League Championship Series

#5 Boston v. #3 Cleveland- Cleveland

#6 Cincinnati v. #5 San Diego- Cincinnati

World Series

#6 Cincinnati v. #3 Cleveland

Winner: Cincinnati Reds

Who I Want to Win in the 2025 MiLB Triple-A Playoffs

Photo Credit: MiLB

By Zane Miller

First round

#IL2 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre v. #IL1 Jacksonville- Jacksonville

#P2 Tacoma v. #P1 Las Vegas- Tacoma

Final (single-game)

#P2 Tacoma v. #IL1 Jacksonville

Winner: Tacoma Rainiers

The Career of Rafael Palmeiro

Photo Credit: The Baseball Scholar

By Zane Miller

Born on September 24^th, 1964, future MLB first baseman Rafael Palmeiro found himself drafted in the eighth round of the 1982 MLB draft by the New York Mets following a successful high school baseball career at Miami Jackson High School in Miami, Florida. Rather than take the Mets’ offer, though, Palmeiro opted to go into college, playing for the Mississippi State Bulldogs of the Southeastern Conference. Even though he came into the 1983 NCAA season with plenty of hype as a fairly high draft pick for a high schooler, his time in college baseball would still exceed expectations.

At Mississippi State, Palmeiro started off his college career strong with 95 hits, 78 RBIs and 18 home runs, playing in all 57 games as a freshman outfielder. This outstanding effort also allowed Palmeiro to collect an insane batting average above .400, batting .406 with a mere 11 strikeouts at season’s end, as he was named Freshman Player of the Year to go along with first-team All-American honors. The Bulldogs ended the year with a 17-5 conference record to win the Western Division and reach the SEC Tournament. The team took care of business against the Florida Gators and Tennessee Volunteers, winning 5-3 and 9-4 respectively to face the Alabama Crimson Tide in the finals. Palmeiro, who registered a two-RBI game against Florida, saved his best performance of the tournament for Alabama with two more RBIs on four hits. Despite Mississippi State having a pair of four-run leads, they were unable to put away Alabama, who scored the title-winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning to hand the Bulldogs the 10-9 loss.

Despite losing the SEC championship, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for Mississippi State as they were still invited to the NCAA tournament as part of the Central Regional bracket. The Bulldogs advanced past the Tulane Green Wave and Texas Longhorns, winning 4-2 and 6-2 respectively, to face the Texas-Pan American Broncs (now Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros) in what was essentially the regional semifinals. Palmeiro knocked in four more hits with another RBI as the Bulldogs came back from a 5-0 deficit to win 7-5 and make their way to the best-of-three regional finals, which would be a rematch against Texas as they had qualified via the losers’ bracket. However, the rematch would not go well for the Bulldogs, getting shut out 7-0 in the first game before suffering a 12-3 blowout in game two. Palmeiro struggled in the finals, mustering just one hit and an RBI in the two-game set.

Although 1983 ended on a sour note, Palmeiro and Mississippi State still had a lot to look forward to in the 1984 season. In 61 games, he again dominated with 98 hits, 94 RBIs and 29 homers, posting a .415 batting average in the process. This enabled Palmeiro to become the first triple crown winner in SEC history, naturally retaining his title as first-team All-American at the outfielder position. Mississippi State won the Western Division title once again with a 18-5 conference record, but their SEC tournament bid got off to a rough start after losing the first round to Tennessee 13-11. The Bulldogs defeated Alabama 8-4 in the losers’ bracket, but fell to the Volunteers again in the following round by a score of 8-3, ending their tournament. Nonetheless, Mississippi State would have a chance at redemption in the NCAA tournament, with a home field advantage to boot as the South II regional bracket was held on campus in Starkville. The team started the double-elimination tournament behind the 8-ball after losing to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first round, but rebounded with victories against the New Orleans Privateers and Eastern Kentucky Colonels to set up a rematch against South Carolina. The Bulldogs wouldn’t be caught off guard again, winning in an 18-9 blowout with Palmeiro exploding for five hits and four RBIs. The team faced New Orleans again for the regional finals, but the Privateers completed the upset with a 6-3 win, taking their only regional championship to this day.

Palmeiro’s stats took a bit of a dip during his junior season in 1985, though they were still quite respectable as he got 75 hits, 67 RBIs and 20 home runs in 65 total games. Even so, he was named a first-team All-American outfielder for the third consecutive season. Mississippi State was unable to capture the Western Division three-peat, losing to the LSU Tigers by just one game, but still made it into the SEC tournament with a 16-8 record in-conference. The Bulldogs drew Florida in the opening round, pulling away late to win 8-3 as Palmeiro drove in two RBIs with one hit. In the semifinals, they would face their canine counterparts in the Georgia Bulldogs, but Mississippi State would get the 2-0 shutout win thanks to a brilliant pitching performance by Gene Morgan. The two teams would face each other in the championship game after Georgia won their losers’ bracket game against Florida, but it would be Mississippi State winning 8-3 to take their second SEC crown in program history. Palmeiro added a hit in the championship game, but the victory was a true team effort as every player in the Mississippi State lineup recorded at least one hit.

A week and a half after earning the conference title, the Bulldogs were invited to the NCAA tournament yet again, playing in the South I Regional bracket. The team easily handled the West Virginia Mountaineers 10-1 in the first round, then took down New Orleans 8-4 to reach the regional finals matchup with the Michigan Wolverines. The Wolverines proved in the first game that they would be tough to handle, taking a 14-6 win to put Mississippi State on the ropes. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, they only needed to win the second game of the finals to advance to the College World Series, as Michigan had lost a game earlier in the tournament. Now refocused, the Bulldogs left no doubt who would be moving on, as they claimed a 16-5 lead after six innings. With Palmeiro contributing four RBIs on a pair of hits and a walk, Mississippi State wrapped up the regionals with an exclamation point, winning game two in a 19-8 beatdown. The team got off to a good start in the CWS, beating the Oklahoma State Cowboys 12-3 in the first round and bumping off the Arkansas Razorbacks 5-4, before falling in back-to-back games to Texas and the Miami Hurricanes, losing 12-7 and 6-5 respectively to exit the tournament just short of making the finals.

Now with plenty of college experience under his belt, Palmeiro would forgo his senior season for a chance to become a first-round pick in the 1985 draft. While some teams likely had concerns about his drop in production in his most recent year, the Chicago Cubs would take a chance on the outfielder with the 22^nd overall pick, getting taken just before the end of the first round. Palmeiro wouldn’t waste any time in signing with his new organization, nor would the Cubs brass waste any time in getting him to Illinois as he became a starting outfielder for the Class A Midwest League’s Peoria Chiefs for the remainder of 1985.

In 73 games for Peoria, Palmeiro contributed 83 hits with 51 RBIs and five home runs, helping the Chiefs to the South Division crown at a 75-65 record. The opening round saw the team take on the Beloit Brewers and win two games to one, setting up a five-game series against the Kenosha Twins for the Midwest League title. However, Peoria would ultimately come up short as the Twins took the series three games to one. Nonetheless, Palmeiro was on the fast track to reaching the major leagues, being called up to the Class AA Pittsfield Cubs in the Eastern League for the bulk of the 1986 season.

Sitting in western Massachusetts, the city of Pittsfield is known for having one of the oldest operating baseball stadiums in Wahconah Park, built in 1919. However, its most unique feature came to be a detriment as it was built with home plate facing west, rather than north-south as is the case with most other outdoor parks. The extra glare from the sun did not impede Palmeiro, though, as he amassed 156 hits, 95 RBIs and 12 homers in 140 games played to earn the Eastern League MVP award. The Pittsfield Cubs went on to finish with a 76-64 record, thanks in large part to Palmeiro’s production, but were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Vermont Reds. The disappointment of losing out on a potential MiLB title was likely short-lived for Palmeiro, however, as just a few short days later, he was called up to the big leagues to close out the 1986 season with the Cubs proper, making his debut on September 8^th against the Philadelphia Phillies.

In his 22 games on the 70-90 Cubs squad, Palmeiro nabbed 18 hits, 12 RBIs and three home runs for a solid warm-up to his MLB career. However, he was unable to make the opening day roster after spring training in 1987, instead starting out the year at the Class AAA level with the Iowa Cubs. In Des Moines, Palmeiro entered 57 games and posted a total of 64 hits, 41 RBI and 11 home runs before earning his call-up for good in mid-June. This proved to be a notable loss for Iowa, who ended up missing the American Association playoffs at 64-74.

In Palmeiro’s absence, the Cubs started off at a respectable 34-29 record, with veteran outfielder Jerry Mumphrey and utility man Brian Dayett splitting starts in left field. However, with Palmeiro now in the picture, left field became a three-headed monster with each getting a substantial amount of playing time there the rest of the way. Appearing in 84 games, Palmeiro had another impressive stint with 61 hits, 30 RBIs and 14 home runs. Despite this, the Cubs were unable to keep their winning record, ending the 1987 season at 76-85. With the team desperate for their first winning season in four years, Palmeiro was named the starting left fielder for 1988, ending the three-outfielder experiment.

The 1988 season was also a notable year for the Cubs in particular, as this was the first in which their home park of Wrigley Field would play night games due to the new and somewhat controversial installation of lights at the nearly 75-year-old facility. In his first season as an everyday starter, Palmeiro contributed an impressive 178 hits in his 152 games played, though his power numbers were a far cry from what they would become with just eight home runs and 53 RBIs on the season. Chicago remained a below average team despite the changes to their stadium, going 77-85 and finishing well out of contention for the NL East crown. By this point, the Cubs were looking for a roster shakeup to break out of their run of mediocrity, eventually finding a team willing to oblige in the Texas Rangers. In December 1988, the two clubs announced a massive nine-player trade, sending Palmeiro and pitchers Jamie Moyer and Drew Hall over to the Lone Star State in exchange for veteran infielder Curt Wilkerson, reliever Mitch Williams and four minor league prospects.

To start off the 1989 season with his new club, Palmeiro would wear a jersey number other than 25 for the only time in his MLB career (with the exception of Jackie Robinson Day games), using #3 as his familiar number was already taken by longtime Ranger Buddy Bell, who was making his grand return to the Dallas area after being traded midway through the 1985 season. However, after Bell retired early in the year, Palmeiro reverted back to #25 for good. As for the season itself, manager Bobby Valentine opted to move Palmeiro away from the outfield for the first time in his career, naming him the new starting first baseman to replace the recently departed Pete O’Brien. This proved to be more than a temporary change, as Palmeiro went on to play first base full-time for the rest of his career. He would still struggle to hit for power with only eight home runs and 64 RBIs in 156 games, but also managed a solid total of 154 hits. The Rangers claimed a final showing of 83-79, but were still way out of a playoff spot with a fourth-place finish in the AL West.

As the 1980s came to an end and the 20^th century entered into its final chapter, Palmeiro began to show even more signs of his eventual superstardom. Though his home run totals only saw minor improvement in 1990 with 14 bombs, his RBI totals jumped up to 89 on the year while leading the American League in hits with 191. This was enough for Palmeiro to get his first votes for AL MVP, but still had a ways to go for serious consideration. Texas matched their record to a T from the previous season as they also went 83-79 to start off the ‘90s, but likewise came up well short of a playoff spot. The 1991 season was even more of a career turning point for Palmeiro, as he nearly doubled his previous high in homers with 26 on the campaign. He also captured what would be his career high in hits, amassing an impressive 203, though this was not a league-leading total as that belonged to Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Paul Molitor with 216. Interestingly, despite the massive increase in home runs, Palmeiro’s RBI totals actually went down slightly in 1991, getting 88 as the team claimed an 85-77 record. Though the Rangers were still consistently posting winning seasons, they finished 10 games back of the division-winning Minnesota Twins, who also went on to win the World Series that season.

For 1992, Palmeiro’s RBI and home run remained about the same, getting 85 and 22 respectively. However, his total hits took a noticeable drop-off, hitting 163 despite playing in 159 games, the same as his games played from a year prior. The Rangers as a whole had a bit of an off year, flip-flopping their 1991 record at 77-85. However, both Palmeiro and the Rangers would have a convincing response in the 1993 campaign. In the send-off season for Arlington Stadium, which had been the team’s home since relocating from Washington, DC, in 1972, Palmeiro popped off for 37 home runs and 105 RBIs, both of which being career highs at that point. He also nabbed 176 hits in his 160 games, enabling him to take the eighth spot in the AL MVP race. Palmeiro’s best game of 1993 came on July 15^th against the Detroit Tigers, as he hit two home runs with four hits and four RBI as Texas claimed the 12-7 victory. He also happened to reach some notable career milestones during this season, as his 1000^th hit, 500^th RBI and 100^th home run all occurred in 1993.

Also, despite not being directly involved with the play, I also feel obligated to mention him having a front row seat on May 26^th for arguably the most well-known regular season defensive blooper in MLB history. Holding down first base against the Cleveland Indians (now Cleveland Guardians), Palmeiro watched on as Cleveland designated hitter Carlos Martinez smacked a Kenny Rogers pitch to deep right-center field, which right fielder Jose Canseco attempted to track down for the out. Instead, comedy gold ensued as the ball bonked Canseco directly on the forehead and bounded over the outfield wall for Martinez’s 23^rd career home run. Jokes aside, the Rangers took a major step forward, collecting an 86-76 record, but were held out of the playoffs yet again, finishing second in the division to the Chicago White Sox. With that, the Rangers were set to move into their brand-new ballpark in Arlington, imaginatively named The Ballpark in Arlington, but Palmeiro would not be making the move with them.

During the offseason, the Rangers were unable to work out a new contract with Palmeiro, leading to the star first baseman inking a five-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles. His first season in the Charm City was a successful one, knocking in 139 hits, 76 RBIs and 23 home runs while playing in all but one of the team’s 112 games. Unfortunately, the 1994 season came to an early conclusion due to a players’ strike in mid-August, with no postseason being played. However, the Orioles were certainly in the mix for a playoff berth at 63-49 at the time of the stoppage, with a division realignment prompting MLB to add a wild card spot, thus increasing the total number of playoff seeds from four to eight.

In 1995, the strike rolled on deep into what would have been spring training, but was eventually brought to an end in early April. This necessitated another shortened season at 144 games for each team, though Palmeiro didn’t let this stop him from crossing the 100-RBI mark once again. Playing in 143 games for the Orioles, Palmeiro set a new career high of 39 home runs for 104 RBIs, collecting 172 hits in the process. Understandably, his strong on-field production was somewhat overshadowed by the incredible feat of teammate Cal Ripken Jr., who set the new MLB record for most consecutive games played in September of that same season. The 1995 Orioles squad was definitely not remembered for their final record, which came in at 71-73 despite a late-season surge. The upcoming season would be a different story.

Palmeiro was firing on all cylinders by 1996, playing in all 162 games for the first time in his career. Looking at his stats from this year, it makes a lot of sense why the Orioles didn’t want to take him out of the lineup, as he matched his total of 39 home runs and secured 181 hits while blowing his previous career best in RBIs out of the water at 142. Not only that, he also bolstered his plate discipline, accumulating a career-high 95 walks.

Palmeiro’s most notable single game performance occurred on May 17^th in a wild home game against the Seattle Mariners, with Palmeiro driving in six RBIs on five hits and a home run. The Orioles held on to triumph in a 14-13 slugfest, as catcher Chris Hoiles jacked a walk-off grand slam with his team down three runs, becoming just the 19^th player in the World Series era to do so. This turned out to be a good omen for how the remainder of the Orioles’ regular season would go. After a decade in the major leagues, Palmeiro was finally going to the playoffs as Baltimore took the American League Wild Card spot with an 88-74 record.

In the opening round of the playoffs, the Orioles faced off against the AL Central-winning Indians in a five-game set, with the first two games being held in Baltimore while any subsequent games would be played in Cleveland as needed. The Orioles capitalized on their early home field advantage by winning both of their Camden Yards contests, then bounced back from a game three loss by winning 4-3 in 12 innings the following afternoon to clinch the series. Against the Indians, Palmeiro drove in three hits with two RBIs and a home run, though he failed to reach base in the game three loss. The Orioles would face their division rival in the AL Championship Series for a chance at making the World Series for the first time in 13 years, starting out on the road against the New York Yankees.

Palmeiro started the seven-game series with a bang on October 9th, collecting three hits, two walks and a homer, though it only led to one RBI. Struggling to capitalize on Palmeiro’s strong showing, the Orioles watched as the Yankees tied the game in the eighth inning, eventually winning it 5-4 in extras to get the early jump. The next day, Palmeiro managed just one hit, but made it count with a go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh. This time, Baltimore got the job done, winning 5-3 to tie the series. After game two, however, Palmeiro went ice cold offensively, being held hitless for the remainder of the series. Predictably, the Orioles lost all three games (despite being at home) with their franchise first baseman being held in check, granting the Yankees the five-game series win and a World Series berth, which they would eventually win over the Atlanta Braves.

Although the 1996 postseason run ended with disappointment, Palmeiro was ready to bounce back in 1997. Playing nearly the entire slate of games at 158, he smacked 156 hits and 38 home runs for 110 RBIs on the season. Not only that, Palmeiro also received accolades for his defensive play, securing his first career Gold Glove as the AL’s top defensive first baseman. With their exceptional 98-64 record, the Orioles earned the AL East title for the first time since their World Series-winning 1983 campaign, and would have home-field advantage in the ALDS against an up-and-coming Mariners club.

With the first round of the playoffs getting underway right as the calendar turned to October, the Orioles made relatively quick work of Seattle, winning both of the first two games by scores of 9-3, before ending the series in game four with a 3-1 victory. Interestingly, Palmeiro did not start in both game one and game four, with manager Davey Johnson instead starting Jerome Walton (who had primarily played as a center fielder throughout his career) at first base. Regardless, in both cases Palmeiro was moved back to his normal spot by the fifth inning, but this did reduce his at-bats slightly for the opening round. After posting three hits against the Mariners, Palmeiro went right back to work versus the Indians for a World Series ticket. In what would be a six-game ALCS, he contributed seven hits, two RBIs and a home run, but it wouldn’t be enough as Cleveland advanced after grinding out a 1-0 game six win in 11 innings.

With Palmeiro now beginning to get used to making the playoffs, but obviously getting tired of getting denied with the Commissioner’s Trophy in sight, the Florida native looked to get the O’s back in position in 1998. Palmeiro did his part, playing in all 162 contests while grabbing a new career high in homers with 43. Of course, Palmeiro’s thunder in this regard was stolen by the Mark McGwire-Sammy Sosa home run chase going on that same season, but, along with Palmeiro’s 121 RBIs and 183 hits, he would score the AL Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive first baseman. While no individual game jumps out as Palmeiro’s best from this season, my vote goes to his July 17^th performance against the Anaheim (now Los Angeles) Angels, as he drove in all four Baltimore runs thanks to his three hits, a walk and a home run in the team’s 4-1 triumph. The 1998 season also saw him claim his 1,000^th career RBI in a 9-8 10-inning home win against the Mariners on June 2nd.

If the Silver Slugger wasn’t enough already, he would also maintain his Gold Glove from the previous year, being hit with just nine total errors despite appearing in 159 games at first base. However, the Orioles as a whole had a disappointing campaign, missing the playoffs at 79-83. Despite achieving the Gold Glove-Silver Slugger single-season combo for the first time in his career, Palmeiro’s time in the Old Line State was up for the time being as he left in free agency. He didn’t need to test the waters for very long, as just a few weeks into the offseason, it was announced that Palmeiro would be returning to a familiar franchise.

Now embarking on his second stint with the Rangers in 1999, Palmeiro would be switching full-time positions for a third time, though he wouldn’t be on defense much at all as he was named the starting designated hitter. Lee Stevens, who had been the Rangers’ primary DH the year before, took over first base for the bulk of the playing time. This would be far from the only downright odd decision relating to Palmeiro’s 1999 season. Once he took to the batter’s box, though, Palmeiro provided what he had delivered in Baltimore and then some, finishing with his highest MVP vote standing of fifth after contributing a personal best 148 RBIs on 183 hits and 47 home runs. Even amongst a field of players who’s literal one job is to hit, Palmeiro still stood out enough to score the Silver Slugger for the second year in a row. However, the other award he won in 1999 was certainly more dumbfounding, as he was credited with his third Gold Glove as a first baseman, despite only playing 28 games at that position. The head-scratching choice is still regarded as one of the worst award decisions in pro sports history, let alone MLB history. Even Palmeiro himself was at a loss for words, saying that he simply laughed upon hearing the news. Comicality notwithstanding, this meant that Palmeiro had become one of just a handful of players to win both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger simultaneously in back-to-back seasons.

Returning to the offensive side, Palmeiro’s best game from 1999 came in interleague play against the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 5^th, as he swatted a pair of home runs (including a grand slam) for a six-RBI performance in a 9-8 Texas win. Just over a month earlier on May 2^nd, he collected career hit #2,000 in an 8-6 victory. Along with Palmeiro, the Rangers boasted a stacked offense including AL MVP Ivan Rodriguez and two-time MVP winner Juan Gonzalez, making it unsurprising that they won the AL West title thanks to a 95-67 record. The playoffs themselves were not pretty, though, as the team mustered just one run in a three-game first round sweep by the Yankees. Palmeiro was able to get a combined three hits and a walk, but had no home runs or RBIs to speak of.

Undaunted, Palmeiro returned to posting his usual strong numbers in the 2000 season, getting 39 homers, 120 RBIs and 163 hits in 158 games played, while also drawing over 100 walks for the first time in his MLB career. In addition, he was moved back to his normal role as the starting first baseman for the first time since rejoining the Rangers, playing there for his 2,000^th career game on June 13th. Fittingly playing against the Orioles in Baltimore, Palmeiro added a hit and a walk, but the Orioles still came away with a 3-2 win. Later on, the Rangers’ collective offense was dealt a devastating blow with Rodriguez sustaining a season-ending thumb injury just past the All-Star break. Coupled with the team being saddled with the league’s worst pitching staff at 974 runs allowed, Texas finished the trying season well outside the playoffs at 71-91. The poor performance prompted general manager Doug Melvin to make the biggest free agency splash of the 2000-01 offseason, signing former Mariners star shortstop Alex Rodriguez in late January at what was the largest contract in pro sports history at the time.

Even with his new teammate taking most of the attention, Palmeiro had a 2001 season to remember, matching his career-high total of 47 home runs in his age-36 campaign. Along with 123 RBIs, 163 hits and 101 walks in 160 games, he would receive MVP votes for the final time in his career, though the Rangers made little progress in their overall record. The pitching staff remained putrid, pacing all MLB clubs in runs allowed at 968 and leading to a disappointing 73-89 finish. Melvin was relieved of general manager duties after the season.

Not much changed for the Rangers’ fortunes in 2002, missing the playoffs again at 72-90, but Palmeiro was showing no signs of slowing down as he had another 43 home runs, 105 RBIs and 149 hits in 155 games, with 104 walks to boot. His fourth career 40-home run season put him just 10 away from reaching the illustrious 500-home run club, containing just 17 players at the time. While former Rangers teammate Sammy Sosa beat him to the punch in 2003, hitting his 500^th on April 4^th, Palmeiro followed a little over a month later on May 11^th. Playing at home against the Indians and with his family in attendance, he launched a seventh-inning pitch into the right field seats to officially reach the half-millennium mark as the Rangers went on to win in a wild 17-10 slugfest. As you can imagine from a score like that, Texas’ pitching woes remained a glaring issue, finishing as the worst in MLB in that regard for the fourth straight year. This squandered an MVP season from A-Rod and an excellent rookie campaign from Mark Teixeira, who took over the starting first base spot and left Palmeiro as the primary DH once again. In 154 games, Palmeiro put up 38 dingers, 112 RBIs and 146 hits as the team staggered to a 71-91 finish.

While the A-Rod era in Arlington came to a close with him being traded to the Yankees before the 2004 season, it would also be the end of Palmeiro’s second run with the Rangers. Opting to take his chances as a 39-year-old free agent, he eventually found a team willing to take him up on the offer, that being none other than the Orioles. In his second go-around with Baltimore in 2004, Palmeiro still put up consistent hit totals with 142 in 154 contests. However, his age showed with his decline in power numbers, claiming 23 home runs and 88 RBIs on the season. Like the Rangers, the Orioles were stuck in a rut of their own, and 2004 wouldn’t do anything to change that as they missed the postseason at 78-84.

Had Palmeiro simply cashed in and announced his retirement here, I think there’s a good chance he would be in the National Baseball Hall of Fame today. However, he still had some unfinished business coming into the 2005 season as he was 78 hits away from reaching 3,000 for his MLB career. Still serving as the Orioles’ main first baseman, he was providing similar numbers to those from his 2004 season, and was well on pace to make it to hit #3,000. On July 15^th, 2005, he did just that on the road against Seattle, drilling a fifth-inning RBI double in what would be a 6-3 Orioles victory. Freshly minted as the 23^rd member of the World Series era’s 3,000-hit club, Palmeiro seemed poised to ride off into the sunset with his full-time playing career nearing its end. Of course, this isn’t what actually happened, and you probably already know where this is going.

On August 1^st, Palmeiro tested positive for steroid use, with MLB handing him a 10-game suspension. While the suspension itself didn’t have much of an impact on his final career totals, the suspected steroid use still became an unavoidable talking point when discussing his career as a whole. To summarize Palmeiro’s side of the story, he claimed the positive test was a result of a tainted vitamin supplement given to him by a teammate and denied any intentional steroid use (he also appealed his suspension, but was denied). Regardless, his MLB career came to an abrupt end shortly after serving the suspension, returning to the lineup on August 14^th and playing his final game on August 30^th. Officially his season ended early due to a combination of knee and ankle injuries, but it’s also believed that the fan backlash upon his return from suspension factored into the decision as well. The Orioles eventually finished the tumultuous season well outside of playoff contention at 74-88. After getting 18 home runs, 60 RBIs and 98 hits in 110 games on the year, Palmeiro was open to playing in 2006, but was unable to find a team to join up with, effectively ending his MLB career at 2,831 games played, 569 home runs, 1,835 RBIs, 1,353 walks and 3,020 hits.

Of course, Palmeiro’s chances at making the National Baseball Hall of Fame were significantly hindered by the steroid-related suspension and its implications, though he was inducted into the Mississippi State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008 and the College Baseball Hall of Fame a year later. After becoming Hall of Fame eligible, his highest vote percentage was 12.6% in 2012, needing 75 percent for election. Palmeiro was dropped off the ballot in 2014 after failing to reach five percent, though he had a second chance at induction in 2023 via the Veteran’s Committee, a panel responsible for inducting players who have been retired for at least 15 years. Unfortunately for Palmeiro, this also fell through, but did not stop him from showing up on the field from time to time after his final MLB game.

In late 2015, Palmeiro made a one-off appearance for the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League, scoring two hits and an RBI in a 10-4 win against the Camden Riversharks. His son, Patrick, was the team’s primary third baseman, though they would just barely miss the playoffs at a 68-71 record. In 2018, Palmeiro made a more serious comeback attempt, playing 31 games for the American Association’s Cleburne Railroaders in an effort to climb his way back to the major leagues at 53 years of age. Had he been successful, Palmeiro would have been the first player since Minnie Minoso in 1980 to play at the MLB level after their 50^th birthday, but it wasn’t meant to be as no MLB teams came calling. Still, Palmeiro was able to collect decent stats with Cleburne, adding six home runs, 21 RBIs and 31 hits in his 31 games. This stop also allowed him to join forces with son Patrick once again, though the father-son duo were unable to get the Railroaders into the postseason as they finished with a record of 32-66.

After the 2018 experiment, Palmeiro appears to be retired for good as he hasn’t played in an organized game since. However, his youngest son Preston had a multi-year pro baseball career of his own after being selected by the Orioles in the seventh round of the 2016 draft. Most notably, Preston Palmeiro was a member of the 2019 Bowie (now Chesapeake) Baysox team which reached the Eastern League finals, playing in 105 games as the team’s starting first baseman. However, the Baysox couldn’t grab the title, losing in four games to the Trenton Thunder. He was also prominent fixture on the 2022 Rocket City Trash Pandas, who finished with the Southern League’s best overall record that year at 81-57, but couldn’t translate it into postseason success as they fell to the Tennessee (now Knoxville) Smokies in the first round. Nonetheless, the Palmeiro family still maintains a presence in baseball today, with Rafael being one of the best hitters in college baseball history, but also among the best hitters to never make it to the World Series.